Physical education teacher candidates’ efficacy to prevent peer bullying: a vignette study

BACKGROUND: Peer bullying in physical education (PE) poses a significant threat to student psychosocial development. This study examines pre-service PE teachers' perceptions, empathy levels, and intervention tendencies towards physical, verbal, and relational bullying situations. METHODOLOGY: Using a vignette-based mixed-methods design, data were collected between April and June 2025 from 105 final-year teacher candidates (N = 105; 67.6% male). Participants were recruited via convenience sampling from six state universities across Türkiye: Dicle, Bartın, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart, İnönü, and Akdeniz. All candidates had completed or were enrolled in the 12-week teaching internship. Quantitative data were analysed using ANOVA and t-tests, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's framework. RESULTS: Quantitative results indicated that candidates attributed high seriousness, felt strong empathy, and showed a high likelihood of intervention across all bullying types, with no significant differences regarding gender or prior training. However, qualitative findings revealed three primary themes: Behavioural Control, Emotional Support, and Inclusive/Relational Strategies. These themes highlighted that sensitivity often failed to translate into pedagogical action, as most candidates relied on superficial, authority-based warnings. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that high emotional awareness does not guarantee pedagogical competence in conflict resolution. Anti-bullying training should be integrated into teacher education through applied case analyses and scenario-based pedagogical studies to bridge the gap between intention and practice.